the waiting game
by cally2
Summary: riddick goes in serch of jack after deserting her years before after realising he should never have left, but things never go to plan


Prologue  
  
The streets of kalis were winding small and dirty they almost took on a medieval appearance and the stench of decay was present at every turn. Faces melded into one another and the crowds seethed with just the sort of people you don't want to meet, and life such as it was carried on. In the shadow of a doorway in one such particular street a figure waited as he had done every night for the past week, his prey would be along soon like clockwork, oh how he loved this game. It wasn't a typical job for this hired assassin. This was personal all the way. This was jack.  
  
Jack /1  
  
Jack had been working as a messenger for the last 4 years. It hadn't been what she imagined herself doing, but then the fact she was alive at all was something. It had been beyond hard at first, being alone and penniless, and without Riddick she had been sure that death would claim her sooner or later and some nights had almost prayed for it. But the worst came when iman had been murdered one night whilst out getting parts for their ship, jack had begged him to arm himself, she had been attacked countless times herself but the holy man would not hear of it, and his faith and luck had run out that night. Jack could barely function for a long while after that. There was no point to anything, everyone she had ever loved or cared about had been taken away from her, all but Riddick, nothing as dramatic as death for him, he had just simply walked away.  
  
Jack strolled out of the main headquarters where she worked and made a beeline for the small bar across the street. Caritas was a dive, and that was being generous it was a hangout for the more unsavoury characters of kalis and that was really saying something, it had almost a cavern feel to it. When entering the floor slopped downward and lead into a huge maze of booths and bars with every type of contraband imaginable being offered for the right price. Jack made her way down one side of the bar and headed for a small booth that faced the entrance. It was an old habit of jacks acquired from Riddick * back to the wall so you can always see them coming* it was almost like a ritual for jack, how many years had it been now? Jack motioned toward the bartender for her usual and sat back to wait.  
  
Jack suddenly sat forward and called over to the bartender again "Hey cal, has Neo been in yet he said he'd meet me here at 5 what time you got?"  
  
" Its after 6 nearly, looks like you been stood up again jack hon., you know you can always take me up on that offer of dinner and wild sex, say how bout tonight after I get off here" cal said trying to hold back a chuckle. Jack smiled back " well that's good to know cal, I'll keep it in mind, so you haven't seen neo then, well when I get hold of him he will wish he'd been here that's for sure, no one stands me up twice in a row and gets away with it" cal winced a little. He knew jack could break balls when she wanted to that was part of why he liked her so much, she was almost like the daughter he never had, of course that wasn't strictly true he did have a daughter but she was a good for nothing whore though he hated to admit it and would surly kill anyone else who did. "Oh jack, he'll be along soon im sure, look you go home and if he dares to show his face I'll send him straight over, you have my word" cal tried to look as sincere as possible as he could tell jack was about a second away from going full scale ballistic and he didn't want to be the one to inform her that neo had been in, and had got quite cosy with another messenger girl in the far right booth. Jack's frown softened slightly and she finished her drink and made for the door "okay you do that, thanks cal I know im a pain sometimes" cal simply grunted "what only sometimes" jack smiled back and disappeared into the night.  
  
  
  
Whispers/2  
  
In the dead of night jack would lie in her bed and imagine. It was always about Riddick always. In her fevered fantasies he would never leave, or if he did he would sweep in and rescue her just at the exact moment she needed him most. It was pathetic and childish and jack knew it but it was all she had to hold on to, these imaginings would invariably end in jack crying into her pillow as she would remember he did leave and in all the times shed needed him since he had not come back for her. That was the thing that tormented her. Why, why did he just up and go like that, they had been picked up a week after leavening the planet after the Hunter-Gratzner nightmare, they managed to avoid any mercs and had even got a small place in a remote mining colony, things were good, or at least seemed to be and jack felt wanted for the first time in her life, of course she harboured feelings for Riddick other than just plain old brotherly love but she knew he didn't see her that way, to him she was still a kid, how she hated it when he called her that, but just to be with him it didn't matter. Then one night he just left, jack had been sleeping when she heard raised voices, she overheard iman talking to Riddick "I understand that you must leave now, I will pray for you" jack had run out just as Riddick made for the door and started to scream "your leaving us…how could you I thought. I thought you were happy with us here" Riddick paused to look at her with his trademark impassiveness as he replied "jack I have to leave now its only a matter of time before someone out there catches up to me and you two will do a lot better on your own" jack tried in vain to hold back the sobs that wrenched from her tiny body "you weren't even gonna say goodbye to me were you?" Riddick walked to the door with his bag in hand "no I wasn't jack, its better this way you'll see, I cant do this anymore" and with that he left. Jack had tried to go after him but iman had stopped her and tried to soothe her, *I cant do this anymore*something in jack had died that night and had yet to return.  
  
Jack crossed the street and started towards her apartment block. As she walked she felt an odd chill run up her spine and a powerful sensation of being watched tightened its grip on her *Jacky you gotta stop doing this to yourself, riddicks not coming, he's not gonna just jump out and sweep you into to his arms, and lets face it why would he your nothing but a piece of trash, Riddick left you and Neo's no better * Jack shook it off and reached her door. While feeling around her pocket for a key when she heard a familiar voice calling to her "Jack, Jack wait up" Neo ran up to meet her at the door "Jack im sorry about earlier, I've had a lot of work on today, you know I'd never stand you up without good reason babe". Neo was about 28 well built, nothing like Riddick but well built all the same, he had short blonde hair and green eyes his face was beautiful which was a rarity in these harsh times, his skin slightly bronzed and he wore tight fitting pants and a grey mesh tank top that appeared to be moulded to his ample physique. Jack stood taking in his appearance briefly allowing herself a moment of satisfaction at her catch, while secretly wishing it were another. " Neo you better have a damn good reason for standing me up again," she couldn't help but let a little smile slip" come on lets get inside, you can make it up to me, several times before my next shift starts" Neo smiled seductively and followed jack into her apartment.  
  
The figure in the doorway stayed fixed to the spot seething with anger and resentment, he would wait a little longer before making his presence known, he had been sure jack had spotted him earlier, something about the way she had stopped outside her home and looked about almost as if she knew he was there watching. He couldn't wait much longer the thought of jack alone up there with another man was making him insane, and even the normally calming thought that he would soon have the pleasure of ghosting him did little to relive the growing rage.  
  
  
  
Riddick/3  
  
Riddick hadn't wanted to leave. He had no choice, and it wasn't because of the reason he told iman, it was something much more personal more dangerous, it was jack.  
  
Jack had changed dramatically after the crash and their subsequent near death experience. She had done something no one least of all Riddick Had expected. She had grown up. A year had past and Riddick hadn't really noticed how womanly she was until he'd been about to shower one morning and without thinking entered the shower room, the steam hit him first then the heat, then he saw her naked with her back to him her blonde hair clung to her shoulders as the water ran down her back over her ass and down her shapely legs, she had been quite unaware of his presence and had started singing away to herself quite happily whilst scrubbing off the dirt she had managed to acquire through a hard day at the mining station. Riddick stood rooted to the spot almost entranced, he'd seen plenty of naked women before and even paid for a few but this was different it was like catching a glimpse of something altogether forbidden, and that was when Riddick knew he had to leave.  
  
Riddick couldn't get jack out of his mind after that He knew she was still no more than a child, someone to protect not violate, but her body gave her away to him, she was like a drug, he could feel himself slip eagerly into jack addiction and Riddick had never been one to withstand that sort of enticement for long so he did the only thing he knew how to do, he ignored her and tried in vain to distance him self from her, this had only served to make jack try harder to be noticed by him, but all she had wanted was a friend a brotherly type figure not some mass murderer, psychopath who could not seem to rid himself of his more animal feelings. And so the only alternative was for Riddick to leave, before he did something that he'd hate himself even more for, before he did something to make jack hate him.  
  
Jack wasn't like the other women he'd experienced she was not just to be used, she was fragile and Riddick knew that with him gone she and iman might get to live out life normally. Of course this hadn't happened after he left the planet he made contact with iman from time to time to check on their progress, without jacks knowledge, iman had told him of their journey to kalis and the repair job he had on a local skiff compound. Riddick knew trouble would show its head sooner or later more likely sooner; it wasn't as if he hadn't tried to warn iman. Kalis was renowned as a place of high crime and death for anybody foolish enough to make it their home, it would only be a matter of time before the inevitable came. Riddick had heard of imans murder almost immediately through another contact of his on the planet, it took him all his restraint not to go there and get jack, but he knew he would it was still too soon he had another nickel slick merc on his back going by the name of steel, and he could risk jack getting hurt cause of some shiv-happy wannabe bad ass, and on top of that the last thing she would need would be a man who felt unable to control his feelings around her. So he bided his time and waited. And now He had come back to reclaim her, if she would let him and is she didn't he'd have to take her anyway, one way or another jack would be leaving with him, he almost hoped she would put up a fight, no one had entertained him quite like she had, jack had never been scared to tell him what she thought, and Riddick had admired it, but that was 4 years ago she had clearly changed from the innocent girl who had idolised him.  
  
He had only wanted to protect her and now he wondered if any good had come from his leaving, * maybe I should have never have left her*.  
  
  
  
When you think you know someone/4  
  
  
  
Jack lay on the bed next to neo lazily running her hand along the side of his arm her mind swam with disjointed thoughts, she couldn't seem to relax tonight thoughts of Riddick had began to plague her again. Jack sat up suddenly " neo, if you ever want to stop seeing me you can just damn well come out and say it to my face, don't ever just leave me without saying so first…promise you'll at least tell me first okay" neo glanced over to jack watching her angelic features glisten with tears. "Hey babe, what's brought this on…you know I anit ever gonna let you go, I just had alota business on you know how it gets, now come here so I can show you how much I don't want to leave you…ever" jack immediately brightened and lent over to kiss him inwardly cringing at how pathetic shed allowed herself to become * Riddick you have a lot to answer to* jack wasn't going to risk losing out again if she had to play the submissive girlfriend now and then to insure her against the solitude then that's just what shed have to do and besides she could do a lot worse than Neo, he wasn't so bad, okay he might be a little unreliable at times but he knew how to gratify when he was around and these days that was more than she could hope for, hope was definitely a Overrated luxury as far a jack was concerned.  
  
A few hours later Neo stirred from his sleep and glanced at his chrono silently he got out of bed and dressed. Neo liked jack a lot and almost felt a pang of regret at the way things were gonna have to play out, he had been destined for a stint in slam city that was until he had a visit from some top mercs * that bitch jo's got a lot to answer for* who were willing to get him off his stretch in return for his assistance in a not wholly unpleasant assignment. So Neo did what he was told, he came to kalis and got friendly with a certain girl called jack, it had been near impossible at first, jack would have none of his advances and she once even told him she found it impossible to trust anyone let alone a man, she had not spoken aloud the reason but neo knew, he'd been informed of her past, hers and a certain Richard b riddicks combined past. That was his mission, to stay close to jack and wait, he knew sooner or later the legendary Riddick would show his face, and when he did the others would be ready.  
  
Neo had met with one of the mercs at cals that day, she had been particularly attractive, which had not helped the situation any, he was sure cal had seen him with this woman, if that was true things could get nasty very quickly, jack had an explosive temper at times and it wouldn't be as if he could tell her the real reason he was there talking to a woman *oh yeah jack im just waiting to see if your ex protector shows up so I can turn him in*, maybe cal wouldn't say anything, maybe cal shouldn't get the chance. Neo spared a quick glance over to jacks still form then left.  
  
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Reunion or Its only courtesy to wake a gal before you kidnap her/5  
  
  
  
Riddick watched and waited he sensed all was not as it appeared with the man, *Neo, what sort of name is that*, he saw neo leave the apartment block and head off in the opposite direction, Riddick wanted desperately to follow and maybe break a few bones but a bigger part of him wanted, no needed to go and see jack, this had gone on long enough, he knew the mercs were out there some where playing the same waiting game just with a different target in mind, him. He approached the block slowly taking in everything around him in a predatory manner.  
  
He entered the building within a moment * oh jack what have I told you about security, a kid could have got in here in under a second * Riddick made his way through a couple of small rooms silently cursing jacks foolishness.  
  
He caught sight of an open door beyond which stood a massive bed and upon that lay a completely dead to the world jack. He slowly walked into the room and stood transfixed. Jack wore a ridiculously see-through nightdress made of a filmy type material the colour was pale blue and barley left anything to the imagination. Momentarily Riddick felt enraged again as he remembered this was not meant for him but neo, who had crept out moments before like a man with a secret to hide, a secret Riddick would soon have the pleasure of beating out of him.  
  
As Riddick stared he felt himself become aroused, as if aware of his predicament jack moaned deeply in her sleep and turned over to one side the gown slipped so it almost reviled her breasts but stopped just short, her blonde hair had grown so much since the last time he'd seen her, it now reached past her waist and her skin was pale with a hint of freckles that appeared to dust her shoulders sparingly, he liked her like this, every time he had seen her in the last two weeks she had always been in her work clothes which had looked almost masculine and her hair had always been pinned back, it was like before when she had tried to hid herself away as a boy, but Riddick knew, he knew then and now that it was her way of hiding from the world, this girl before him now was the real jack, the jack he'd always craved and until now had denied himself.  
  
He reached into his pocket and pulled out a hypo gun, he hadn't wanted to do it like this but if he risked waking her she might not see things quite his way, so after a small amount of deliberation he lent over her slumbering body and as he shot her with the sedative he allowed himself to inhale her scent briefly, he reached down and picked her and the sheet up in to his arms, he looked about and spotted a large bag on a chair, the one he'd seen her carrying nearly everyday, he thought for a moment then lay jack back down again as he hurriedly grabbed items he could only assume she might be glad of when she finally came round, after all if things went the way he hoped they'd be too far out in to space to just go shopping and jack would no doubt need things * what the fuck do girls, woman want?* he grabbed a few items of clothing that seemed suitably flimsy and some bottled lotions and perfumes, he swung the bag on to his back retrieved jack again and made his way into the night, he'd soon be off this planet for good and he'd be a step closer to being with the one person he'd been unable to get out of his mind in over 4 years, maybe then finally he could resolve a few of his jack issues.  
  
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Every move you make (I'll be watching you)/6  
  
  
  
Jo was fed up with her most recent mission, she thought she'd signed up to travel the galaxy hunt down psychos and maybe earn a few credits and a hard edged rep in the process, all she had done so far was keep tabs on a lowlife called neo and wait, *bloody waiting* it was doing jo's head in, she knew as soon as Riddick appeared * if he ever did* that the others would come claim the catch and see her out of any kind of bounty, but jo wasn't a stupid girl, she had come top of her merc training academy class and at 23 had been the youngest ever not to mention female, she fought men and woman alike, there had been no special treatment at the academy she had been beaten badly on more than a one occasion but she had also given it back too. Jo had learnt a lot of things at the academy, not just how to take someone out with minimal hassle, she'd learnt about the internal politics that ruled the archaic agency and most importantly she had learnt how to hack. Jo had her own ideas concerning what to do about this current situation, she was through taking orders and felt like maybe it was time to strike out on her own; maybe that info the little punk neo gave her would come in useful after all.  
  
Jo walked to the comlink and turned it up as a message came through. "Agent Bennett, we have received notification of Riddicks arrival on kalis it appears he may have been here for as long as a week already, do not approach him we will be sending a team of relocaters on the next drop ship, repeat do not approach him, your mission is as it was before, to carry on observing and report back any details you may learn, our unit should be there in 24 hours, if you believe him to be leaving kalis you have authorization to follow but that's all, we do not want a rookie fucking this up, we all have too much riding on this now. Are we clear agent Bennett?"  
  
Jo stood mouth slightly open as if in shock she quickly composed herself and answered " er yes sir, I understand and will assist fully sir. Just one thing, if he does make an attempt to leave how will I follow, he supposedly has one of the fastest ships in the galaxy and I've heard tell his jump capab…" she was cut short by an irritated sounding man  
  
"agent, do not make me repeat my self, do what you have to, try to ingratiate your self with a crew member assuming he has any, if not try to follow as best as you can in your current ship, just make sure to pass along anything you might learn, we will contact you when we reach orbit, we're expecting good things from you agent Bennett, don't make me wish I left your ass back at the academy"  
  
The com went dead and jo stood looking back at the com unit contemplating smashing it to bits, she took a couple of deep breathes and forced herself to remain focused, god she hated those bastards,  
  
That was it, the agency could screw themselves, she was through with them, she would show them all, the only way left now was to try and get aboard his ship, but to do that she had to find it first, and Richard b Riddick hadn't evaded capture so long by being obvious. Jo needed a fake past, that would be the best way she had been secretly planning this for months. From what neo had told her, jack the girl at the centre of all this had been orphaned at four, her family had been wiped out by a attack on the outpost they lived on, jack and a older sister called Joanne *coincidence or what this is meant to be* had survived but had been separated when shipped off to different care facilities, jack had never managed to find out if this sister was living, but jo had, she had wanted to know everything about this girl who could unknowingly bend a sociopath like Riddick to her will, so jo had made good use of the central merc data base and after many nights of searching she had discovered the sisters true fate, Joanne had in fact died by the hands of her first set of foster parents, who had never been held accountable, so after a bit of clever backtracking and hacking jo managed to erase all traces of Joanne and her death and replace them with a history that Riddick himself could be proud of.  
  
Jo walked over to her case and started to change into some leather pants and chain mesh top she had acquired earlier, she had to look the part if she was gonna go see her baby sister, jo smiled back at herself in the small mirror " oh jack I cant believe I've finally found you, what, who am I? Oh jack, its Joanne, your sister don't you remember me? " Jo grinned to herself *okay the script needs a little work but I think I might just pull this off, those fuckers at the agency are gonna be lining up to lick my boots when im through with this * jo collected her fake ids and decided to go pay lil sis a visit.  
  
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Twists and turns/7  
  
Riddick was on his way out of jack's apartment when he heard someone enter and make their way to jacks door, Riddick paused and dropped jack onto a chair and he crept forward slowly drawing his shiv.  
  
Jo entered the apartment block and instantly knew he was there, it was almost scary how she sensed him so quickly, Jo pretended not to notice and carried on towards jacks door, she took a deep breath * here goes your life jo * and pounded on the door " hello, hello is anyone here…im looking for a jackilyn fries"  
  
Jo waited a few seconds before continuing "hello, Look if I've got the wrong place I'll go away, but please just tell me is there a jackilyn fries living here, tell her its her sister, Its Joanne…Please I know someone's in there I saw a light from the front" Jo was feeling an adrenaline rush of scary proportions she looked down at her hands and tried to still them from their current shaking.  
  
"Hello" she pounded the door yet again and waited.  
  
Riddick had been listening to all this with great interest *no fucking way, if that's jacks sister, then im a holy man* he wasn't sure what to do, what if it was her, it could happen and Riddick knew jack would never forgive him if they left without even bothering to find out.  
  
He pursed his lips together in deep thought for a moment and then decided to speak," Who are you looking for?" Riddick waited for the answer to come.  
  
Jo froze "Err hello, this is Joanne frise, im looking for a miss jackilyn frise, look if you could just open the door, I promise I wont stay long, I just need to see her," jo waited, unsure if her bait had been snagged.  
  
Riddick carried jack back to her bed and shut the bedroom door * glad she's asleep, she's gonna be pissed at me when she comes round * Riddick placed his shiv back in his belt and went to open the door, still feeling more than a little pissed at the fact his reunion with jack was going to take a little longer than anticipated.  
  
As it opened Riddick was faced with a girl who couldn't have been more than 20 she also had long blonde hair * like jacks * though that didn't prove anything, he carried on taking in her appearance and she stared back. She stood about 5'8 and looked like she worked out a lot she wasn't thin but she was toned, athletic, Riddick liked that in a girl. She was dressed in a tight fitting pair of leather pants and her top was made from a chain mesh that hugged her figured perfectly and she was holding her ground admirably.  
  
"So what do you want?" Riddick asked as he stepped slightly forward and placed a hand on the wall beside Jo making her feel instantly uncomfortable, everything she'd ever been taught in the academy had just gone out of the window in less than a second, if she hadn't been so scared she might have laughed.  
  
" Look. Im sorry to be calling this late, I just arrived and came straight here, im looking for a miss jackilyn frise, She's my sister and I was informed she was living here"  
  
Riddick dropped his arm slightly and brought round his other so he almost held her " And you know this how?"  
  
Jo paused * be careful Jo he's full of trickeration, * "well I've been searching for her for the past 5 years, finally I got a break while I was on sigma primus, a guy who used to be a messenger here, he told me bout this girl who sounded like the one I was looking for, and I got in my ship and came here" she carried on watching him closely "and while we're having question time, just who the hell are you anyways?"  
  
Riddick ignored her and thought for a moment "you came all the way here from sigmus to see someone who may or may not be the person your looking for who may or may not even live here right? That's what you're saying huh"  
  
Jo nodded, "Look I don't know who the fuck you are, but im through talking this over, Is she here please just tell me"  
  
Riddick grabbed her in a flash and spun her around so she faced the wall "wha…. what are you doing you fuck get the fuck of…"  
  
Riddick growled "stay still, your not coming in till I know you are who you say you are, and that includes searching your fine self for wires, so shut the fuck up or I'll do it with you unconscious"  
  
Jo almost went for her weapon but forced herself to remain calm. Riddick made a big show of searching her for wires and after a few minutes he stopped and turned jo back round to face him again  
  
" give me your id now, im gonna run a lil check see what comes out…then we'll see if I know where your sister is," with that said he swung a punch at jo's head so fast she barley heard the swoosh in the air, all Jo could think before she hit the floor was * fuck *.  
  
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Calm before the storm/8  
  
Riddick sat down on one of jacks chairs and looked at the two unconscious forms in front of him * why the fuck cant anything go the way its supposed to * he wasn't sure how jack was going to react when she woke to find him and another girl in her bedroom * jacks sister* could it be true. Riddick was sceptical, actually Riddick had learnt a long time ago to be sceptical of everything, he had to be if he didn't analyse every daily occurrence a hundred times, then that's when a merc would be waiting in the shadows biding time until they'd try and x him out for good, it was always the way, always, and riddicks method had served him well so far, but that fact remained Riddick had just spent an hour checking and double checking this girl Joanne's past out and everything seemed to add up, Riddick could always tell instantly if he was looking at a faked history and he considered himself a expert on faked documents, which left the annoying thought running through his head * she must be her, it must really be jacks sister * Riddick hated changing a plan mid play but now it looked as if his and jacks little trip together would be including another. He sighed to himself as he tried to figure the best way to carry two unconscious females to his ship that just happened to be on the other side of the city.  
  
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Creed is greed aka steel's big break/9  
  
Steel had been on Richard b riddicks trail for 3 years and counting, it wasn't that steel was a bad merc, far from it; he had a rep that preceded him for being a true Billy bad ass. He could of grabbed Riddick any number of times but he hadn't, he'd known all along that when the moment came he'd know it was time, and that time was now.  
  
Steel watched from a doorway as Riddick left the girl jacks apartment block, he'd also seen another woman enter a few minutes before, and now it appeared Riddick was carrying two motionless bodies one lazily thrown over each shoulder, it was clear Riddick was dancing on razor blades, this wasn't like him at all, he had left himself open, steel almost felt cheated…this was going to be too easy.  
  
Steel raised his gauge and slowly made his way towards Riddick.  
  
Riddick froze, how could he have let this happen, he mentally kicked himself for not making use of his trademark caution, he'd left the block so caught up in what he was doing he had not focused…. *stay in the light* a thought from nowhere and he knew he was cornered. Riddick slowly turned to face the brave fuck who'd been trying his damndest to ghost him for the past 3 years " steel, well I guess you know its death row up ahead" riddicks face was cold and impassive as he regarded steel, the two girls unconscious and still draped over his shoulders like a strange new fashion statement.  
  
Steel kept his gauge focused on Riddick and grinned back at him in an almost maniacal way, "well Riddick, looks like you got your hands full, drop them and we can leave them outa this " Riddick knew steel was lying *yeah cut me lose motherfucker*. Suddenly steel aimed the gauge at jo's unmoving body "drop her first or I'll blow her little head off" Riddick was beyond pissed now, not only had he been careless leaving the building he was now about to be blackmailed, normally Riddick would kill the hostage himself, he cared for no one and always looked to number one, after all what other way had there been, but now this fuck knew his weakness.  
  
Steel looked at Riddick and instantly knew he had him, he wasn't about to risk anything happening two the two girls, but why, why were they so special that a convicted sociopath and murder would allow himself to be captured so easily. Steel could see it in Riddick, not anything as obvious as in his eyes, no, that wasn't riddicks style, but steel knew all the same, but then 3 years of hunting someone so closely will enable you to pick up on the little things.  
  
Steel spoke again but with more menace " drop her first" he pointed the gauge at jack again "slowly, then take a step back and drop the other one, do it, or do you want to see me ghost them?" steel smiled broadly now this was like a dream, nothing in his life concerning Riddick had ever gone so well.  
  
Riddicks mind raced * what the fuck* he couldn't, wouldn't risk anything happening to jack, or the newly acquired sister, so he slowly bent down and placed jo's still sleeping body on the ground and began warily to step back*if I can get him away from them im gonna fuck him up so bad* Riddick had walked ten paces back when a shot rang out from behind steel, everything seemed to happen in slow motion, Neo appeared from nowhere with a gauge of his own and was firing at steel and Riddick respectively, Riddick held jacks body tight to him and turned to duck into a doorway as bullets flew past narrowly missing his head. On the opposite side of the ally steel had lurched forward and grabbed jo, he quickly tumbled left behind some trash cans, and began firing back, neo was still firing away and then from behind him appeared a couple of mercs armed to the teeth. Riddick knew if he didn't go then it would be over, not just for him but for jack and Joanne too, he knew as long as steel had jo with him she would be kept alive, steel would guess her value now and he loved to have an advantage. Riddick spared one more glance over to steel who had jo held tightly. And with that he turned and disappeared into the night.  
  
Steel saw Riddick leave but made no attempt to go after him, he fired a couple more shots back and chuckled as he blew the head off the merc on the left of him, no Riddick would wait, he knew as long as he had hold of this girl Riddick would be only too willing to oblige. Steel fired a couple of shots and turned to disappear into a small alleyway, by the time neo and the other mercs had reached his spot he was gone, not a soul in sight. Neo was worried about jack, he didn't want Riddick taking her but he had her now and someone else, some one new he'd nearly risked all their life's by busting in all gauge happy, neo knew he was going to be in for one hell of an ass kicking when he got back to the headquarters, he looked down at the dead merc and sighed. * Maybe I should have just gone to slam, that would have been better than this*  
  
  
  
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Remember that moment/10  
  
Jo awoke in a strange bed and for the briefest moment completely forgot who she was and why she was there, then like a burst dam it hit her full force, or rather riddicks fist had hit her full force, but that was all she remembered, now from the looks of things she was on a ship, not a big one but drop ship size, then it clicked she must be on riddicks ship. What the hell had gone on was anyone's guess, he must have believed her or else she would surly be dead in a gutter somewhere now, or at least chained. But where was jack, things didn't feel good; jo shakily got out of bed and checked herself out in the mirror. She had a large purplish bruise on her right temple but apart from that looked normal, well as normal as anyone could look if they were living a fake life on a ship god knows where with a infamous killer. * This was not one of your best days jo *  
  
Steal walked into the room chuckling "glad you could join us, thought you were gonna be out all night, you wanna tell me why you were out for the count? Riddick doesn't normally need to knock a girl out before she obliges"  
  
Jo sat back down again and tried in vain to steady herself "where's Riddick? And where is my sister you fuck".  
  
Steal laughed aloud "and here's me thinking I was gonna have to hurt you to get some answers, and what do you do, just come on out and say them…I feel a little cheated you know"  
  
Jo felt panicky "what, were the hell am I?"  
  
Steal's expresion changed and became almost bored looking as he threw her a bottle of pills " hey my problem isn't with you okay, take a couple of these you'll feel better I promise, I don't know what you've been told, but Richard b Riddick is a killer, and me, well I hunt them down, I've got nothing against you or your sister, though you sure know how to mix...that sister of yours is trouble, anyways your important to them so all we do is sit tight and see how this plays out, once I have Riddick you and your sister can leave, I promise, now till then get your ass back in that bed and rest I got a stack of repairs to start on and I could use some help later. Okay?"  
  
Jo numbly ate a couple of the painkillers as she nodded her head towards him "sure, I don't want any trouble"  
  
Steal walked to the door "good cause i'd hate for us to get off on the wrong foot, we might be out here for a while so its better if I don't have to confine you to the sickbay, there's some clothes in that locker, help your self" he gestured over to a large locker behind the bunks and left.  
  
Jo didn't know what to do. Should she come clean with this merc, tell him she was trying to capture Riddick too, tell him that she's not jacks sister, jo tried to focus, if she did come clean steal may well throw her out into space after all what use would she be, and to cap it all this man steal didn't look like the kind who would wantonly share any glory of capturing Riddick, so for now the best thing jo could think of was to go along with it and wait, if Riddick and jack came to free her like steal thought she could make a move then and only then.  
  
Jo walked over to the locker and began to change into a pair of overalls *well I might as well make my self-useful while im here* she pulled her hair back into a bun and went to find steal. 


End file.
